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Nearby Theaters

The Cinema Italia is one of the few cinemas in ancient city centres that have survived the commercial transformation of these city centres. The cinema Italia seems to me the classical ‘Cinema Paradiso’ that is an integrate part of city life to locals. The cinema is inconspicuously situated in a rather run-down house in a side street of Tuscanian town of Lucca. When you enter you see a classical box office with an old-fashioned electronic sign indicating whether there is a film ongoing. After having bought your ticket you have the choice to watch the film from the stalls or the balcony, which you reach via elegantly curved stairs. The seats are covered with grey tissue, the walls are basically stone and the lighting is – the only real nuisance – light blue.

All in all, the cinema emanates personality and history. Not least, it is distinguised by its very appealing programmes, basically always made up of the upper mainstream or arthouse. Despite its old-fashioned styling, the cinema remains very popular and well loved by locals. Yet, current media reports say that the cinema might close soon given there is no plan to adapt the technology to the new digital standard. Let us hope that those news reports will not to be verified. It was closed around 2013/2014.